Aftershocks
by Eunoia
Summary: Various characters react to the events of the second season finale. Each chapter will focus on a different character or set of characters. Starts with Duncan, will eventually get to Dick, Mac, LoganVeronica, and possibly other characters, if I feel like
1. Duncan

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or situations. Made for fun, not profit._

_ A/N: I know I have a million WIPs to work on; I'm sorry. I write when the inspiration hits.  
_

When Duncan hangs up the phone, he tries not to smile. Hearing that his order to kill a man has been carried out should not make a person smile. Not a good person at least. Duncan thinks he was a good person once. He thinks Logan was, and Lilly and his parents. He hopes Veronica still is. He wouldn't know. He smiles down at his daughter and is happy they got out of Neptune when they did. It's funny how she can barely move on her own yet and he already knows she's a good person. He bets Meg was like that from birth.

Veronica calls him the next day, and he doesn't bother to ask how she found him, because he never doubted for a minute that she could if she wanted to.

"Aaron's dead," she says and there's that urge to smile again.

"I know." He doesn't know how much to say; how much she knows.

There's a long pause before she responds. "Duncan, did you…"

"--Veronica." He interrupts. It's stupid, but he knows they don't have a future and he wants her memories of him untainted.

She doesn't continue. She doesn't want to know for sure, any more than he wants her to. Instead she says "A lot's happened."

"I heard about Beaver." _I probably would have had him killed him too, if it had come to that,_ stays unsaid.

"Yeah. It was horrible."

"I'm sorry I couldn't have been there." It's times like this that Duncan hates his ability to maintain a detached monotone through everything. He wishes his voice would betray him and that she could hear just how true that statement is. But Duncan is responsible, if nothing else, and he knows that that would just make things harder for her.

"I know. I know you are. Duncan, I have to tell you…Logan and I are back together."

"You took longer than I thought." He holds his finger out and Lilly clutches it and he's so glad he has her to live for now. "It's okay. I didn't expect you to wait for me forever." He focuses on Lilly's touch and that quiet gurgling sound she loves to make.

"You're such a good guy, Duncan." Her voice breaks now, and he's glad she hasn't become as hard and cold as she sometimes seems. As he always is. And for a brief second, he actually is happy for her and Logan because if there's one thing Logan's good at it, it's expressing emotion.

"Am I?" He knows she knows now. About Aaron. He tries not to remember that girl in the pink dress who had looked up at him on the beach one night and said "You are _so_ cool."

"You _are_," she says, her voice firm again. "I know you, Duncan."

"People change."

"Not that much."

He laughs. "Is it just me, or is this more real a conversation than any we had before I left?"

There's another long silence before she says "I don't regret anything, Duncan. I hope you know that."

Lilly tightens her grip on his finger and he realizes that he doesn't either.


	2. Dick

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or situations. Written for fun, not profit. _

_ A/N: This chapter ended up basically being a little bit of Dick/everyone. I don't know where that came from. If you want to see a little more of Mac's POV here, it should come in the next chapter._

Dick first realized something was wrong when the elevator doors opened to reveal Veronica leaning on Logan as though she would topple without him. Her breath was coming out in gasps and in the moment before she reacted to his presence by burying her face in Logan's chest he could see that it was red and splotchy from crying. Dick was somewhat concerned. After all, he counted on Veronica to be a) annoying and b) hot in all situations and right now she was neither. But Dick wasn't that bothered. Because Dick wasn't that bothered by anything. Logan told him to talk to one of the cops in the lobby, but Dick didn't like the tone of his voice and figured it was probably a better idea to get even drunker than he already was.

It was only later after he had made his way back upstairs to down a few more beers that he started to notice people staring at him. It was Madison who finally told him, but then she had to go because she couldn't really been seen talking to the guy whose brother had blown up sweet little Meg Manning and all those other kids that Madison wouldn't have spoken two words two when they were alive.

He should have gone home after that like almost everyone else at that lame-ass party, but he stayed and drank some more and tried to make out with Shelly Pomeroy, because she'd make out with anything that moved, but she just shoved him away and asked if he was fucking kidding her.

He slept in Logan's bed that night, and then waited around for a few hours in the morning, but Logan never came home. Dick tried to be happy that Veronica was finally getting the good laying she had coming to her, but he really wished it was someone other than Logan giving it to her.

Madison came over around one. She shoved past him into the room and said "I knew you'd be here, using Echolls-scented sheets as a security blanket."

"What am I, some kind of fag?"

"Oh please, Dick. We may not have been soulmates, but I think I've spent enough time with you to figure you out. This may come as a shock to you, but you're not that complicated."

"I find it hard to believe that after all the times I rocked your body, you could honestly think I liked dudes," he responded defensively.

She rolled her eyes. "Since you are so dim, I'll lay it out for you. There are five things Dick Casablancas wants: Sex, food, booze, video games, and Logan Echolls. You're rich. The first four come in steady supply. But Logan of the annoying smirk and little boy pout only has eyes for the other obnoxious blonde in his life."

Dick decided to change the subject. "You want me to prove just how straight I am?"

She sighed. "Yeah, alright. That's why I came over here anyway. I felt bad for you, what with Beaver and everything. And my boyfriend's pretty busy today anyway."

Dick wanted to call her on the stupid fake older boyfriend, but he was just grateful that Madison wasn't going to make him have to play the sympathy card. As much as Dick liked variety, there was something to be said for banging a girl who knew you.

She led him over to Logan's bed and whispered things in his ear about what Logan probably did to Veronica in the very same bed and as he came he thought that if he ever loved anyone, maybe it could be her. But then it was over and she rearranged her clothes and said she had to get going and he could he do her a favor and not tell anyone about it because it might get back to her boyfriend. He yelled out some totally witty comment about her imaginary boyfriend and how he was probably the gay one and then she flipped him off and left.

When Dick finally went home his mother and her douchebag husband were there and they both tried to hug him, but Dick just shrugged and said he had to shower. He really wanted to hit someone and he almost headed to Beaver's room before he remembered.

The memorial service was three days later. Dick had realized by then that his dad wasn't coming home. He didn't want to go, but the douchebag kept trying to give him lectures about the proper way to let out his grief and he figured going to the service might shut him up.

Dick had been to one funeral before, for his great-aunt, and the place had been packed, probably because the will hadn't been read yet. He hadn't really thought about it, but he had kind of expected this one to be similar. But they arrived to an empty room. The minister talked for about five minutes and then seemed to sense that none of them were really listening and wrapped it up quickly.

His mom and the douchebag headed out to the car and said they'd give Dick a minute. He glanced around the empty room and then slowly walked up to the closed casket. He ran his fingers over the wood and thought he might be sick.

Just then a man's voice rang out. "He killed my daughter! My daughter! He's filth! Vermin! He should be rotting in the sewers!" Dick turned slightly and realized it was Betina's dad. He had caught them fucking once and hadn't been fond of Dick since. Dick almost laughed at how insignificant that probably seemed now.

Before Dick had a chance to respond, a thin voice came from the side door. "Why don't you fuck off? If it had been your daughter, wouldn't you be here anyway?" Both men turn to face the girl now entering the room. Ghost World. Dick had forgotten all about her. He definitely hadn't expected her to show. Just the other day at the liquor store, he heard two ninth-graders talking about how there were rumors that Beaver raped her. When they saw Dick they had quieted down, obviously scared that Dick was going to kick their pre-pubescent asses. But Dick had just grabbed some Smirnoff and walked right past them.

Betina's dad shoves past Dick, leans into her (Mac—that's her name) and hisses "And what the hell are you doing here? I don't suppose he's your brother too."

She looks up at him, eyes clear, and almost like she's just realized it for the first time, she says "I loved him."

Mr. Marone seemed shocked to hear this and just when Dick thought he was going to leave, he yelled "Only a whore could love a monster like that!"

Dick had been watching this entire exchange apathetically from over by the casket, but at this he suddenly launched himself at the man, pulling him down to the floor. Mac pulled him off before he could inflict any real damage, but his point was made and Marone stumbled towards the door and ran out.

They sat on the floor for a minute in silence until Dick couldn't take it anymore and said "So, you want to get stoned and drink slurpees?"

He waited for her to say "God, Dick," or "At a time like this?" or even "Oh Dick, I'm so sorry," but instead she just half-laughed and said "You have no idea how awesome that sounds."

They hung out for the rest of the afternoon and then she drove him home in her dorky little green car. When she dropped him off, she got out too and they stood there for a minute and it was weird, so he pushed her up against the side of the car and kissed her. She always seemed so geeky and innocent, he was sure she'd push him away immediately, but she didn't, not even when he shoved his tongue as far in her mouth as he could get it. He certainly didn't expect her to fumble the back door open and pull him onto the seat on top of her.

He struggled to find a position that wasn't horribly painful, but she continued to kiss him and simply said "It's fine. It's good enough," apparently mistaking his concern for his limbs for concern for her. So then they fucked, because yeah, he usually had a strict 'no fat chicks' policy, but she was eager and willing when no one else was. And maybe there was the fact that for the first time, like, ever, a girl seemed to feel the exact same thing he did, even if Dick wasn't quite sure what that thing was. She was smart, maybe she knew.


End file.
